The Heart Of The Forest
by bleedthisskylinedry
Summary: BalthierXOC VaanXOC [same OC.] Michelle, being a fellow orphan, is friends with Vaan and Penelo. Suddenly, Balthier comes along and it's chaos, when Michelle's secret identity is revealed under circumstances. She then joins Balthier to seal his mouth shut
1. The Beginning

"Vaan, you shouldn't keep doing that!"

"I know, I know, but this is what the soldiers took from us, right? It's rightfully ours, so we should take it back!"

"Penelo's right, Vaan. You cannot keep doing this, they'll find you and put you in Nalbina, for goodness sake!"

"Oh no, not _you_ too, Michelle! What did Penelo do to you?!"

"No, seriously. If they put you in Nalbina, who would be there to protect us two girls, and all the other orphans?"

There was silence.

Then, Vaan sighed. "Alright, alright. I promise you, this is the last time I'll be stealing stuff." He said, resigning to his fate as common sense took over.

I gave Vaan a small smile, as Penelo spoke again. "Make sure you don't steal again, Vaan. We're trusting on you, you know?"

Vaan nodded his head, and glanced at Penelo, then the sky, watching as a ship flew above our heads.

"Oh, I just remembered... Migelo needed you for something, I'm not sure what. You should probably drop by his place." I said.

"Oh, Migelo needed something? That reminds me, I should be getting back to my chores too. Tata!" Penelo said, cheerfully, as she waved goodbye to the two of us. I watched Penelo, jogging to the Sandsea, her figure slowly becoming a tiny dot.

Vaan grimaced. "You know, I hate doing chores for Migelo. It's so.. Little. I want to fly high, one day, and be a sky pirate! I want to fight monsters and bounty hunters, and meet fellow sky pirates as well."

I sighed, folding my arms. "Vaan, if you want to be something big, then you should start from small." I said slowly, my mind itself too, taking in the information I was feeding Vaan. He wasn't the only one that needed it. I looked to Vaan for a moment, watching as he pondered over the sentence for awhile. Then, I continued, "You should hurry. Migelo said it was something about the feast tonight."

Vaan nodded his head, as he turned behind, and jogged off to Migelo's place.

When the two had left, I finally sighed as I reminded myself what I was supposed to do.

_Clean weapons in the store..._

I rolled my eyes at that thought, as I hurriedly jogged to the weaponry, where Gudlarson was waiting.

"Michelle! Where have you been?" He barked, as I flinched. Without even waiting for me to answer, Gudlarson hurried on. "I need to you tend to the store for awhile. I'm going out to get some goods. Oh, you're supposed to clean the weapons _and_ tend the store. Make sure that nothing gets stolen." He shot at me, as he walked out of the weaponry.

Ugh. Gudlarson's an idiot." I muttered to myself, as I walked up to the counter, grabbing a piece of cloth, as I took off my knee length, black leather coat, revealing my white vest and my black, leather pants. Both sleeves were to my elbow, and it was tight and kind of frilly. The sleeves met my gloves, which were white leather. The part where the sleeves met the shoulder were fluffy, and it ventured on to the chest area, where it dipped down to form a V shape. The buttons were a classy white, and it was like a corset, though not as tight. It was just nice, enough, to show off the figure that I had. The vest was not a full vest though. It ended, just as it touched the top of my stomach, leaving my midriff exposed.

I had on, black leather pants that were tight also, and it had a silver chain that linked from one of the front weapon belt hoops, to one of the back weapon belt hoops that I had on, slung around my waist. My weapon belt was currently empty. My boots were made of light steel, which was actually pretty rare. My hair, wasn't long, nor was it super short. It reached my neck, and it was a maroonish red. I love my hair, though. Most of the time, like now, I had on a white bandana that was wrapped around my head, to keep my hair out of my face.

I soaked the piece of cloth in a bucket of water, as I ventured to the area where they held the long spears. The spears were made of the finest, carved wood that was smooth to the touch. It didn't cut into your skin, but the sharp metal of the spears definitely did. Then, I looked around the shop. Nobody was here, good. I grabbed one out, as I held it in my hands. It fit perfectly into my palm, as I twirled it around in one hand. I stopped it, though, as I spotted a flicker of black dirt, on the wood. I furrowed my eyebrows, as I wiped it off with one clean motion, using my cloth. Then, I sliced it through the air, hearing the sound of the quick i swoosh /i . It was like music to my ears.

I spun around, now with the spear clutched in my two hands. I wasn't a fool, I knew how to handle a spear perfectly, after all those 15 years in the weaponry and those secret trainings with myself when Gudlarson wasn't around. I also knew how to handle a dagger, a sword, a bow, a gun and a staff, but I felt more attracted to spears than the rest. You could say that I was skilled, but keep the secret well. Nobody else really knows about this secret; including Penelo and Vaan.

Just then, I was caught offguard on the middle of a quick jab. The door opened. My eyes widened, as I quickly replaced the spear back into it's place and continued to clean it, acting as if it was done cleaning, and with that, I walked to the counter, my eyes glancing to the Hume and the Viera, who had walked into the shop together.

"So, this is the famous weaponry that Guddy owns, huh?"

I quirked an eyebrow, as I choked down my laughter. _Guddy? Gudlarson?!_

"If you're looking for Gudlarson, he just stepped out of the store." I said, as the two looked at me.

"Oh now, who is _this_? It doesn't seem like good 'ol Guddy to hire people." The man said, his lips curving to form a smirk.

I ignored his comment, as I said, "How may I help you?"

The Viera, who was quiet all this while, finally opened her mouth. "We need our weapons sharpened and checked for defaults."

I nodded my head, my voice becoming firm. This was business, I knew it. It wasn't time to fool around. "Sure thing. I'll do that for you. If I can just see your weapon, then I'll determine how long I'll take and how much it cost...?" I said, quirking my head to the side, like in a question.

Both nodded their head, as the man began placing several guns on the table. My eyes widened, as I recognized them as high-end quality guns. The Viera then placed two bows on the table. I eyed them, lifting the guns first. It was in an okay-okay condition, but it wasn't in it's best as well. There was one gun, though. It was totally smashed, like a spear had been smashed into it's side, forming a deep hole, and then pulled out. I then examined the bow, noticing that there were several scratches and some claw marks... My curiosity heightened, but I quickly shoved them away.

"It'll be done in around forty-five minutes. For the bows, it'll cost you 15 gil and for the guns, 75 gil because of this one..." I said, as I motioned to the smashed gun.

The man nodded his head, as the Viera spoke. "We'll be back then. We'll pay later, when we retrieve our weapons back."

I nodded my head in affirmation, as I proceeded to work.

**xx**

When the duo returned, all three guns were polished and shined, and bullets were inserted. It was in a perfect condition, and I knew this had to be one of the best jobs I have done so far. The bows were also polished and shined, and they were gleaming.

The man looked impress, as he approached the counter, lifting one gun from the table and inspecting it. "I'll have to say.. Good job done."

The Viera nodded her head. "I agree, this is really a good job done."

The man placed 110 gil on the table, and I quirked an eyebrow.

"Take the 20 gil as a tip." He said.

I nodded my head, cracking a smile as I inserted 90 gil into the cash register, and 20 gil into my own personal purse.

I looked up, just enough to catch the two walking out of the store. The man turned behind, and said, "Oh, by the way. When ol' Guddy comes back, tell him that Balthier and Fran dropped for a visit."

"Consider it done." I said, as the two walked out of the weaponry.

'_Balthier... Fran_.' The two names lingered in my head, as I grabbed the piece of cloth, and continued to clean the equipment.


	2. An Insight

"I'm going off, Gudlarson!" I yelled, as I grabbed my black coat from the chair. From the backroom, I watched, as Gudlarson's head appeared from behind the door.

"You better be on time tomorrow, Michelle!" He barked, in the same familiar tone.

I chuckled, brushing the comment off. "Okay, bye then!" I then walked past the counter, through the shop, approaching the door, and just as my hand clutched the doorknob, I remembered.

I swiveled around, and saw, just as Gudlarson's head popped back into the backroom. "Oh, somebody came to visit you just now. Balthier and Fran, that's who they said they were. They said hi."

Suddenly, like lightning, Gudlarson's head appeared back from behind the door, and this time, he stepped out of the backroom as well, carrying a hammer. His eyes were wide open, as he muttered, "Balthier? Fran? Sky pirates? What were they doing here in Rabanastre? Isn't it dangerous for them to be here? What did they want..."

My ears perked up, as I listened to Gudlarson's mutterings. '_Dangerous? __**Sky pirates?! **__Wait, then wasn't Balthier the.. _**The **_Balthier...? What did they want?' _I thought, as my eyes sprang wide open, but then Gudlarson seemed to realize that he was speaking a little too loudly. His head snapped up adruptly, and he barked, "Okay, you may go."

I nodded my head, my fingers trembling slightly at the information that I had seeped in. I quickly escaped through the doors of the weaponry, and headed for home.

* * *

'_Vaan and Penelo shouldn't be home just yet_.' I thought. The weaponry closed earlier than any other shops, thus I ended my shift earlier than when Vaan and Penelo did.

You see, all of us are orphans. I'm not just referring to Vaan, Penelo and me though. There are, of course, more orphans. With no family to back us up, we had to survive on our own. It was only 10 of us. Thus, we started off where we asked around for jobs. Vaan, Penelo and some other orphans had a job at Migelo's, and only Gudlarson took me in, strangely. We then began living with the people we worked for first, then when we slowly got our pay checks month by month, we started by buying a cheap house by the roadside. It was big enough, having around 5 rooms. Each room was big enough to accomodate at least 4 people. The seniors, which would be me, Vaan and Penelo, would have a room to ourselves, while occasionally we would invite the smaller ones to sleep in our rooms. Lunch was provided by the people we worked for, and we earned easily, every month, about 400 gil. Although it wasn't a big sum, it was enough to pass us orphans by.

I opened the door of the house, and crept in. Nobody seemed to be around, good. I walked up swiftly to my room, opening the door and peering in. I closed, and locked the door behind me, as I quickly changed. I got out of my white vest and black leather pants, putting on a navy colored vest. It was to a similar design to my white vest, but it was slightly tighter and less frilly and fluffy. I then put on another pair of black leather pants, and then changed my white bandana to a black one. I put on my weapon belt again, this time slipping my own spear into one hole, then my sword in the other, and my short dagger in the last one. I carried a black pouch in my side, but it wasn't noticable.

Then, I secured my weapons and my pouch, as I leapt out of the room with lightning speed.

I headed towards the castle, in the quickly darkening sky.

I definitely didn't want to be recognized.

* * *

In the shadows, I crept silently, with my back pressed against the hard, cold stone wall, I treaded on the ground below me. I had entered the castle easily, but it wasn't easy though. The first time, was definitely hard, but this wasn't the first time. As I leaned against the wall, I closed my eyes and opened my ears wide.

I heard the familiar heavy clanging of the soldier's metal armor, and it was getting closer, and closer, and closer... My heartbeat raced faster, but then I peered to my left. The soldier was walking past, and by the looks of it, he was half asleep. As he walked past, I somewhat anticipated him to turn around quickly, and point a sword at me, pulling me out of the shadows and demanding to know what was my business in the castle.

Luckily, he didn't.

He walked on, and my ears perked again. From the sound of it, he was the only soldier in the corridor.

I then made a dash for it, my feet lightly touching the ground, then leaving it. I had learnt this myself, in the corner of my room. Most of these stunts and moves, I taught myself. I made no sound as I skipped across the corridor, my hand pressing hard against my black pouch. I was exposed in the harsh light of the corridor, and I was paying for it. As I leapt into the air, my shadow was cast. It appeared, right in front of the soldier. My eyes twinkled in the light, filled with anticipation and the adrenaline rush. Quickly, I leapt to the other end of the corridor safely, my feet touching the ground, as I dipped back into the shadows again.

As quickly as I dived into the shadows, the soldier turned around.

"Who's there?!"

My heart pounded painfully against my chest, as the sound of a blade cutting through the air filled the corridor.

"I know you're there! Come out, wherever you are." The soldier began to taunt.

Silently, I began to creep again, my back against the wall. In the shadows, I knew that he couldn't see me. The sound of the soldier's voice disappeared, as I began walking faster. I knew I couldn't delay any longer.

When I knew that it was safe, I began to run.

Corridors passed, and by the looks of the glass panel in the ceiling, I knew it was midnight. I nodded my head, as I quickly sprinted down the long corridor.

Finally, I arrived. I stopped in front of a portrait, and under it, I knew, was a 'L' shaped stone. I crept down silently, as my hands explored, pressing on the stone wall. Suddenly, I found it. An L shaped stone, carved carefully into the stone wall. I pressed on it silently, as the wall suddenly spun, to reveal a wooden door. I clutched the doorknob in one hand, peering left, then right, then I turned the knob and entered the room.

Looking around, I found myself in the right place.

The castle's _treasury_.

Millions of gems and necklaces found itself here, and golden coils and millions of gil were piled in one corner. My eyes sprang wide open, as I quickly looked around. I couldn't linger for long, they would catch me if I waited too long.

I then quickly took out my black pouch, and latched it open, walking to one corner of the room. I then grabbed a ruby amulet, holding up against the dim light against the wall. It shone brilliantly, and I smiled. I quickly placed it in the pouch, and pocketed some other necklaces and jewelry as well.

As soon as I came into the room, the pouch was full. I then looked around the room, and suddenly, a dagger caught my eye. It was not an ordinary dagger, as it had blue jewels encrusted on it. Suddenly, when I walked near it, I felt a strange pull to it. I recognized the pull as magic, wanting to get closer to the source of that magic. '_Magicite?!_' I thought, as my heartbeat increased it's pace. I looked at my full pouch, then to my full weapon belt. I sighed, nodding my head, and quickly escaped the room, deciding to come back another day for that dagger.

* * *

The night was dark, and I crept silently throughout the town. Nobody was up, and I quickly spotted the orphanage, as you might call it, in a distance. I sped up, as I hid the pouch in the corners of my pants. Then, I quickly entered the house, silent. I was used to this by now, as I quietly crept up the stairs that led to the rooms. My room was in the middle of Penelo and Vaan's, and as there was no air conditioning, their doors were slightly open, though mine was fully closed. They knew that I needed my privacy.

As I reached the top of the stairs, I walked towards Penelo's room, and peered into the door.

She was fast asleep.

Nodding my head, I then proceeded to walk to Vaan's room.

I peered through the open crack of the door, and suddenly, I felt uneasy.

His bed was empty. I spotted Vaan, sitting on the small chair in his room, wide awake.

I let out a slight gasp. '_Did he know why I was out so late? Did he check my room!?_' Suddenly, Vaan's head turned with lightning speed, and looked directly at the door crack, right into my eyes.

'_Oh shit! He must have heard me gasp._' I thought, as I quickly dived to my room door, prying it open and then closing it, not locking it though. I then leapt to my bed, and quickly flew under the covers, my breath ragged and uneasy.

I then started to breath in, long and deep, in order to calm myself down. I closed my eyes, and when my breath was back to normal, and the adrenaline rush ebbing away from my body, I then started to pretend that I was asleep.

Moments later, with my heart still thumping in my chest, I heard the door creak open. Footsteps could be heard, as they walked into the room.

I tried my best to remain quiet, as my breathing became slow, like how a person would breath when asleep.

After what seemed like a million of strainful hours, I heard Vaan speak. "I must be dreaming..."

With that, Vaan exited the room, closing the door behind him.

As soon as I heard a slight **click** of Vaan's door, I knew it was safe.

I threw the covers away from me, as I removed the pouch from my pants. Then, I placed it in my backpack, and then changed out of my current outfit, into my white vest and black leather pants.

I then crept into bed, yet again, this time, for real. Sleep overcame me, as I yawned.

"That was a close call..." I muttered sleepily under my breath, as I fell into a deep slumber.


End file.
